Work samples. One of the first things you should do when looking to hire a graphic designer is ask to see some of their work samples. Many graphic designers will carry a portfolio along with them. Do not be afraid to ask them if you can look at their work. And quite often they will have work samples available to look at on their website. As you look through the portfolio look for a design style that will fit with your business and that you will like. Experience is also something you will want to consider, although it is not necessarily the most important factor.

References. References can be a crucial point when hiring a graphic designer. Ask family, friends, and colleagues for some of their recommendations. You might also think about asking other businesses, or printers on who they would recommend working with. Another option for hiring a graphic designer is to check out the AIGA (American Institute of Graphic Artists) website. Here you will find a list of designers in your specific area. You can feel free to browse their websites to see if their design styles will meet the need of your business logo.

Asking Questions. If you think you have found a graphic designer that you like and will do the job then you will need to ask them some important questions, and get them on the same page as you. Here are some things to discuss with the designer before you hire them.

1. What kind of experience they have and what is their design process?
2. Who will be doing the actual work? Will it be them, or will it be an assistant? Ask who did the logo designs in their portfolio (if you like them) because you will want that person designing you business logo.
3. What are the fees and costs involved? All graphic designers are different, and generally not cheap. Just make sure you know what you are paying for.
4. Ask the designer for at least three to five of their design options to be included in the initial fee.
5. Ask for both black and white, and color versions of your logo. You might also want to ask for digital templates as well in case you want to make business cards, stationary, etc. Along with the colors, ask the designer for a color palette and numbers.
6. One of the most important things to ask your designer is about copyright and ownership. Naturally you will want to have a signed agreement that gives you all ownership and copyright to all the designs for your business. Make sure you discuss this subject.
7. Make sure the designer knows what the business represents, and what it does. You don't want any miscommunications here as their design and your logo will reflect it.
8. Make sure your designer knows who the target market is. For example, what age you are looking to reach, the industry type, etc.
9. Let the designer know who your top competitors are and how you want to be different from them. As the designer creates the logo, you want them to make something that is different from your competitors.

One of your final steps is to makes sure that you get everything in writing. Creating a contract between you and the designer of your choice will lay out all the expectations for the project. Read through everything carefully and make sure everything is how you want it. If things are unclear then have your designer elaborate on what it specifically means. Ask as many questions as you can think of.